Technical Field
The present disclosure relates generally to an antenna system, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a mounting system for an antenna system.
Description of the Related Art
Content distributors deliver audiovisual content to users through a variety of different transmission systems, including satellite television transmission systems. Such transmission systems typically incorporate antenna systems to receive transmitted signals.
One important metric of an antenna system is the surface accuracy of the reflector. The surface accuracy can drastically affect the antenna gain if it is not held tightly to the nominal curve. One way to measure and quantify the surface accuracy of a reflector is by a calculation known as RMS (Root Mean Squared). Effectively, RMS is an average of all of the deviations on the surface of the reflector. Accordingly, a smaller RMS number for the reflector translates into a higher surface accuracy for the reflector, and the system achieving closer to its theoretical gain.
Traditionally, reflectors are connected to a mounting assembly with some type of backing structure. The manner in which backing structures are attached to reflectors may significantly affect reflector surface accuracy. Traditionally, backing structures are mounted with four bolts that come directly through the reflector face and mount to four tabs of the backing structure.
This effectively means that the reflector surface is sandwiched between the head of each bolt and the associated tab of the backing structure. When these bolts are tightened, the surface of the reflector is deformed to the shape of the backing structure, which is supposed to be the exact same curvature as the back of the reflector. However, the reality of traditional manufacturing processing is that the surface curvature of the backing structure is never held perfectly nominal to the curve of the design specification, just as the surface curvature of the reflector is not held perfectly nominal to the curve of the design specification. Accordingly, the result is that the surface of the reflector has one curve and the backing structure has another curve.
Therefore, the assembly of the reflector and the backing structure may result in a significant effect on the RMS of the reflector surface. Moreover, the assembly points (i.e., bolt holes) of traditional backing structures are all towards the middle portion of the reflector, which has been determined to be the portion of the reflector that contributes the most to the gain achieved by the antenna system. There is a continuing need to reduce or eliminate negative effects of the backing structure on the RMS of the reflector. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the embodiments described herein have been made.
Notably, all of the subject matter discussed in this section is not necessarily prior art and should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its discussion in this section. Accordingly, any recognition of problems in the prior art discussed in this section or associated with such subject matter should not be treated as prior art unless expressly stated to be prior art. Instead, the discussion of any subject matter in this section should be treated as part of the identification of the technological problem to be overcome, which in and of itself may also be inventive.